Happiness Grenade
by Canvas nut
Summary: After the last of earth's land is destroyed, Mta Ulle-a series of mechanized moving islands-is humanity's last paradise. Yet in sector U-13, crime and corruption ravage the island-and is spreading dangerously fast. When two groups of heroes from opposing sides of Hell clash in an attempt to save U-13 how far will they go to reach their happiness? AU, MEGA Crossover, Genderbent
1. Confession

_Where can you find Happiness_ _in a graveyard of smiles?_

Confession 3384—Dowell Station, Mta Ulle Compound 13.

Sin Committed: _I was born dead_ _._

 _I left the temple of the devil to infest the cavern of another host amongst the harem embedded in hell. However, before life's smog breathed into me, I was settled in the arms of a creature who—unlike the others—found some glory in the second skin of clothes that bathed her flesh. Found solace in the dust caked in cabinets; plenty to feed the moths with. Found comfort in wrapping her long arms around us and the caliber gun within the fortress of our solitude during the night that reaped blood. And when she unsheathed a smile, threaded by crimson lipstick and marbled teeth, in the heavy drapes of shadows—no one could defy her. No one could say that we weren't blessed to have a creature around us to become a mirror of her._

 _But I wasn't like the Painted Lady._

 _I never was._

 _Despite her silver tongue that trailed fresh bruises on the back of our rear ends every drawn out hour of her "tea time," she was always honorable. Looking her walking—talking—sins in the eyes everyday with her red stained lips; raising them with dried up promises within her breasts. For in the fortress of our tub that concealed us from the night's uproar, she carefully brushed away abandoned moth wings that lingered along the granite and pressed her lips against our heads. Whispering, "Goodnight."_

 _No. I would never be like her as ribbons of red fluttered through the water. As sparks of pain blistered along torn skin with every brush of the rag pressed between trembling legs. As ruby, red flesh throbbed and twitched with every white drop dug out from a cavern that should never be entered. As tears ricocheted silent screams along the black film of the water, leaving more grime to creep up limbs than cleanse it._

 _As his arms pulled me into him. As I let myself be pulled into warmth I no longer deserved. That night and the night that followed would never be "good" again; even after the mausoleum anchored to my bones finally caves in._ _No. I will never be like the Painted Lady._

 _My sins are buried to deep to be put to bed. And before I realized it, my death became one of many in the pasteurized piles—until I infected him. Until_ _ **I**_ _infected us. I sign off my sins with a pray to the above world, yet how could I—how could_ _ **He**_ _forgive an unforgettable sin when I was never born with a beating heart?_

Commission report: completed .

Report termination request: burned .

Request: **DENIED** .


	2. 1 - Black

**A/N:** This is a crossover between Frozen, Maleficent, X-Men, Big Hero 6, Wicked, and possibly other fandoms. Some of the characters in this fic will be genderbent. Rated M for future mature themes. Thank you, let me know what you think, and I hope you enjoy. :)

* * *

Blood smeared across the rim of the teacup with each swipe of the sponge that came by; following the tool's shadow before being spotted in light once more. A dark, almost black, color stained the hardened soles of the sponge regardless of how much it was dunked into the bucket beside it. Soon enough the water would be tainted and stain the battered plastic. Soon enough everything will be stained.

 _It's almost funny,_ he thought dryly, _how blood can be so dark that it can hide in your shadow._

Elias's brows knitted together as he watched dark crimson slither into the grooves of the metal. He dug the sponge along the line where the door latch was hooked. The blood ever so slowly soaked into the sponge and left a splotched patch of red along the brass rim. He dunked the sponge into the bucket, the water sloshing calmly around his glove until he raised it again. As water splashed onto the ride's side, the blood dribbled down the ivory china piece. Thin trails of pink lingered along blue roses, making the flowers seem to drink in the red rain casting shadows upon them. The corner of Elias's lip twitched.

His fingers dug into the sponge as he lowered it to the cup's side. The sponge barely graze the new trail when a voice rumbled, "Leave it be Lias."

Elias blinked. He turned his head to the side to be greeted with Drex's sidelong glance. Drex shrugged down at him and nodded towards the sky. Sparse white clouds drifted along the underbelly of the black sky, whistling lowly on the wind as it eagerly thundered closer.

"The rain will take care of it." Drex grunted.

Elias flicked his gaze back to the pink drops inching down the cup. His fingers clenched around the sponge.

 _It will stain_ , he thought, his brow furrowing harder. The pink streaks stretched down over the roses, caging them in an abnormal prison of drink that wasn't what they thought it was. The sponge squelched under his grasp.

"Lias." Elias begrudgingly looked at the man. "It's a ride. A little rain won't hurt it." Elias's lips thinned as he dropped the sponge into the bucket. His knees popped with relief once he rose up. He glanced back at the tea cup with a frown and heaved the bucket to his side. Drex tossed his tattered rag over his shoulder, wrinkling his nose at the dark water sloshing in Elias's bucket.

"Can we go now?" A dull copper scent wafted from the bucket, making the older man cringe slightly. "I can practically hear that sucker's head cracking again."

Elias nodded, moving to opening of the fencing surrounding the ride. He lugged the towering wire close. Shoving his bucket into Drex's open arms, he pulled out a lock from his pocket. The rust encrusted lock clicked into place around the wire while Elias glanced at the small scanner resting on the fence. An eerie blue-green glowed from the hissing scanner, matching Drex's tsking tone as Elias tugged off one of his gloves.

He pressed his thumb against the scanner, earning a loud ding from the machine as it blinked green. The locks overhead the fence, just beneath the sign, silently slid into place. Elias turned on his heel to have his bucket shoved roughly against his chest. Elias coughed, stumbling back slightly as the water splashed up onto his jumpsuit. Drex mumbled a quick apology, urging the younger to follow him. Elias glanced down at the dark brown splotch spreading over the yellow suit. His lips thinned out into line.

"It's a little spot!" Drex groaned, running a hand over his face. "It will come out!"

Elias flicked his eyes to the bucket, then at the spot. He sighed as he followed after Drex. The Tea-Time-Whirl's glowing sign flickered into darkness behind them, along with the other children's rides in the toddler part of the park. The innocent gleams of pink, blue, and green lights fell into the splurge of copper lampposts that bolted to life with a vibrant hum. Elias kept his gaze on the winding walkway smeared in colorful chalk. A faint ghost of a smile crept at the corner of his mouth as he squinted at the drawings.

"Funny, huh?" Drex grunted, catching Elias's eye. He scanned the chalked drawings with a pointed leer. "Makes you wonder what goes on in the little monsters' heads."

Elias's breath caught at the back of his throat. His fingers tightened around the bucket handle as a flash of a body, small and fragile as the pseudo China cup, hovered over another—dark red dripping from a hand gripping a plastic knife. He shook his head, the air suddenly growing too thin.

 _Little monsters_ , he thought solemnly.

The walkway died off to bare concrete as the two wound their way through the park towards the main building. Sweat and sugar seeped through the back room, pressing down on the staff's faces like a fog. Elias held the collar of his undershirt over his mouth as he shrugged out of his jumpsuit. The yellow fabric crumpled off his shoulders; scrunching around his waist while he snatched a shirt from his locker.

Drex glanced over at him, changing out of his suit as well, and grunted, "You headin' home?"

Elias popped out of the head of his shirt, nodding lightly. Drex hummed thoughtfully as he slid his jacket over his large shoulders. The faded leather rose and fell on his shoulders like a second skin while he turned to Elias again.

"How about you stop by my place? It's a bit up land, but not too far." He leaned back against his locker. Elias shook his head softly. Drex glanced at the other staff members quickly shedding their uniforms and racing out the door with sweat slicked brows. The corner of Drex's lip twitched as he sighed, "Lias, you do know what tonight is. Right?"

Elias paused mid fold, his uniform dangling off his arm. He looked over at Drex and nodded. The older man groaned.

"Then why stay down in that hell bin?"

Elias placed his uniform in his knapsack before rummaging through the bag. His fingers fumbled through pockets filled with neatly folded tissues and bills until he pulled out a small notepad. Pressing the button of a pen against his chest, Elias scribbled along the paper and tore a scrap off the pad. Drex took the thin sheet with a quizzical glance. His eyebrows rose then furrowed as he gawked at the younger man.

Drex turned the paper over to Elias, scoffing, "A bird? You're going back for a bird! " Elias blinked at the name he scribbled and shrugged. He tossed the strap of his knapsack over his shoulder, ignoring Drex's stare as he moved towards the door. "It's your funeral!"

Elias put two fingers to his temple, flinging them out in a small salute as he slipped out the door. The sound of the door squeaking close became drowned out by a rumbling roar. Elias froze, turning his head up to the blackening sky overhead. Amidst the dark clouds chasing after the dark blue dusk a streak of white shattered through the night. Elias's fingers tightened around the strap and let out a heavy sigh. As the scent of sea salt filled his lungs, Elias forced his legs to move forward.

A soft breeze ruffled his hair, causing an ivory strand to fall over his eye. _It's too late for a storm to kill you_ , he told himself. His clammy fingers trembled slightly as another round of thunder echoed in the distance.

Elias trekked down the sidewalk bordering the road that winded down the hill, watching his shadows hop along the glare of lampposts. The hiss of trapped flares flooded his ears along with the stray rover that raced by on the road. Elias trailed his fingers along the metal fencing curving over the sidewalk, the prongs tipped like fangs. The man trailed his eyes over the fence towards the towering buildings whose lights set the night ablaze with a rusty red. Each light that roamed across blinked in uneven intervals like fireflies grappling for an edge of the sky, or at least what was left of it. Elias's lips twitched into a frown as he sped his walk down the sidewalk.

The roadways and concrete side lines soon deteriorated into crumbling gravel and weeds that peeked out from under the street, yet still trimmed enough to contain the wild. Elias's boots kicked at pebbles that sprinkled his path, stepping over bulges in on the road. The towering buildings behind him were draped by straggly tree limbs whose leaves rustled down with the wind. Elias swatted at the leaves fluttering around him, letting his shoulders slack at the familiar shadows creeping along the edge of the lampposts and the thick A-023 that was melded to the overhead gate.

The apartment complex was settled on a small gradient with its roof tiles cracking down along the edge. Thin weeds hugged the walls of the complex, bulging around the columns of the gate like thick veins protruding from arms. The head of the complex slanted forward triangularly where a lone doorbell clung to the front door, beaming a dull yellow glow. In short, the entire building was that of an alligator turned into a housed fortress. Elias's lip twitched, barely gracing that of a grin before smoothing over again.

He took two steps at a time up the stairs to the door and snatched out his keys from the second pocket of his knapsack. The gears of the lock crunched around the key as he pushed the door open. Darkness blanketed the hallway, greedily devouring Elias's shadow as he locked the door behind him. He ran his hand along the wall, feeling his way through the hall until his boot clunked against the first step at the end of the hall. The air grew thick as he walked up the stairwell, his shoulders brushing against the wall. The man listened to the echoing clunk of his boots that reverberated throughout the stairwell that lingered far longer than it usually did.

 _Alone again then,_ he thought. He leaped up onto the last landing of the third floor. He glanced down at the cracks of the doors in the hall, earning an empty shadow in response. He shrugged.

Elias turned to his door on the right side of the hall and froze. In the frail light that wandered in through barred windows, Elias's brows furrowed deeply as he followed the dark trail from the stairs that led to his door in large globs.

 _Even worse,_ Elias thought bitterly, his frown deepening with his narrowed brow. His eyes lingered on the thick batch of mud that smeared across the doormat bunched in front of the door. _I just bought this mat._

Elias sighed exasperatedly and kneeled over the doormat. His fingers carefully pinched the corner of the striped fabric, lifting the sopping mat to the side. He squinted at the wooden floorboards until his eyes locked onto an uprooted edge curling up against the door. Elias wrapped his hand around the edge, tugging it back as the wood splintered up. He dug his free hand into the floor, his fingers rummaging along the top of the wood until they hooked around something metal. He pulled his hand out of the open hole and dropped the wood into place.

Elias grimaced at the cobwebs thickly lacing his fingers and shook his hand, clinging onto the metal handle of his prize. The man rose up from the floor with a sigh. His hand gently tapped the door as it swung inward with a quiet creak.

 _Could've bothered to at least close the door,_ Elias frowned.

He slowly crept into the room, closing the door behind him. His eyes blinked in the darkness until the familiar silhouettes of his doorway graced his presence. Elias carefully stepped further into the room, bracing his self against the wall. As a soft chirping met his ears, his finger tightened around the trigger.

The gentle twittering set Elias's heart thundering in his ears as he sucked in a breath. His eyes hardened, shoving his gun out from his chest, and twisted around the wall. Elias's eyes widened slightly as he blinked in the shadow of man hunched over his cage. The man froze, his fingers pinched around a dusting of crumbs that hovered over the open cage, and turned his head to Elias. Elias snapped out of his daze and clenched his finger around the trigger, a low hiss bursting from the head of the gun while the man's grimy cheeks shrugged into a half smile.

"You wouldn't hurt an old man," he chuckled, nodding to the blue sparks buzzing from the gun, "with a stun gun now would you?"

Elias's shoulders slouched, glancing at the stun gun in his hands. _It's still a gun,_ he thought with a frown.

The old man chuckled with a shake of his head, turning back to the cage. The bird inside propped its head up to his hand, its beak opened wide as he lowered the piece of bread into the cage. The bird's beak eagerly pecked at the bread, barely sparing a glance at Elias before pecking at the crumbs caught in its feathers. Elias blankly glared at the bird before letting the stun gun fall to his side. The man gazed up at Elias from under the hood that covered his eyes and grinned.

"Don't mind her," he said, breaking off a piece of bread crumbled in his hand and shoving the piece in his mouth. "She just looked so hungry." His finger dipped into the cage and gently scratched the bird's tiny head. The bird cooed softly, rubbing back against the finger.

"After all," the man ran his thumb over the knobs jutting out from the bird's shoulders, where gray feathers flurried around the covered bone, "it's not like she can feed herself."

Elias's jaw set, shooting his glare down at the muddy trail that rested at the man's feet. His lip twitched at the yellow crumbs sprinkling over the small couch the man leaned back on until the man's eyes lit up.

"My bad," he grinned sheepishly under the hood. He flicked his gaze to the stun gun gripped in Elias's hand. "I suppose," he gulped over another mouthful of bread. "You wouldn't mind me staying here till the rain settles?"

The bird tilted her head towards Elias, blinking her almond eyes up at him. Elias returned her stare as thunder bellowed loudly outside. Rain began splattering against the barred windowpane. Elias sighed deeply, shoving the stun gun in his knapsack and turned on his heel towards the kitchen. He jerked off his knapsack and tossed it onto the small table behind him.

"I also don't suppose," Elias glanced over his shoulder. "You wouldn't mind sparing something hot would you? Stale bread doesn't get you as far as it used to."

Elias rolled his eyes, finding his self several minutes later on the floor with his stranger; a steaming pot of broth between them. The man noisily slurped from his cup, quickly dipping his cup into the pot once more for another serving while Elias merely watched him from over the rim of his cup. Elias stared at the steam curling up from the edges of his cup, wafting over the chipped edges towards his nose.

"You should still eat when you're not hungry." Elias glanced up at the man as he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. He smacked his lips together. "Food's a blessing nowadays. Right next to living, eating is practically heaven."

Elias blinked at him then at his cup, the chives in the brown broth seeming to wrinkle a broken smile up at him. The younger brought the cup to his lips and threw his head back. He swallowed down a choked gurgle as the broth scorched his throat. He wiped the corner of his mouth as he set the cup aside–vaguely grinning at the empty cup.

 _Who's smiling now?_ He thought with a smirk.

The man watched Elias dip his cup into the pot, the clinking of their cups filling their silence save for the thundering rain, and glanced back at the bird.

"She's a beauty," the man murmured around the rim of his cup. The bird ruffled its feathers, nodding slightly at the man. "She's a…a canary ain't she?"

He looked at Elias expectantly only receiving a blank stare. Elias pulled out a pen from his pocket and scribbled on a piece of scratch paper beside him. He shoved the paper towards the man. The man arched an eyebrow, squinting down at the paper that read _Sparrow_ in scrawled letters.

"Oh," he hummed over a slurp. "How she lose them wings?"

Elias stared at his cup for a long while then shrugged before chugging the broth down his throat. The man's brows crinkled at the boy until he reached out for the pot again. His dark eyes caught the faintest inch of skin that stretched out from under Elias's sleeve. Black ink lied stark against the boy's pale flesh, twisting around his wrist like a snake. The ink stained into the Elias's skin was ticked like a row of stitches.

A lazy smirk smoothed over the man's lips as he bowed his head. "My apologies." The faintest hint of a snicker lingered in his voice. "I didn't mean to press myself onto a _taciturn_."

Elias shot an icy glare at the man as he gestured his hands in front of him. "I mean no disrespect. I'm just surprised." He tilted his head to the side, the hood falling further over his eyes. He smirked even wider. "It's just here I am, a defenseless old man, sharing a pot of soup with a criminal who has not just one, but _three_ ticks—and with no tongue."

The man rested his cheek on his fist, drawling, " _Whatever did you do to receive such a punishment_?"

Elias stared at the man coolly over the rim of his cup, arching an eyebrow at him. The rain pounded harder against the barred window, almost cheering the younger man to act until Elias pulled his sheet of paper towards him. His pen scribbled across the page as he tore the sheet aside and slid it to the man. The man glanced down at the torn paper, reading the elegantly scribbled print: _If I told you, I'd have to add another tick to my sentence._

Silence stretched between them agonizingly slow. And then the man doubled over with tears in his eyes. He wound his arms around his stomach as he howled in laughter, slamming his fist against the floor. Elias merely stared at him, sipping the last of his broth from his cup. The man finally heaved in a breath, propping his self on his elbows.

"You're something else, you know that?" He wheezed, wiping the tears from his eyes. Elias shrugged. "Let me guess, that stun gun was all you could scavenge through your restriction?" The younger man nodded, earning another bout of guffaws from the man. Elias could catch the faintest hint of thickening stubble curling around the man's chin as he threw his head back and felt his skin crawl.

Until a roar—softer than thunder, yet louder than the rain—erupted in the distance, making the walls of the complex tremble ever so slightly. Elias and the man fell silent as a series of faint cries wailed on the wind. The roaring rocked the complex every few minutes while Elias's muscles tensed.

 _It's here._

He swept the cups from the floor and dropped them into the pot, striding over to the open kitchen in four steps. He quickly rinsed the pot and cups, tossing them under the sink's cupboard before shuffling over to the ones overhead. He rummaged through the shelves while the man rolled his neck to the side.

"So the purging's finally here, huh?" He mused as Elias snatched bottles and boxes from the cupboard. "Must be nice; being a member of the devil's army and sweeping whatever trash you hate from existence."

Elias's teeth dug into his lip, balancing the bottles on the boxes.

 _Gangs. They're just gangs._ He growled to his self. He slid a thin door in the back to the side and slipped inside. He dropped the boxes and bottles into the tub's basin before coming back into the room.

The man sat there on his haunches while Elias continued popping in and out of the bathroom with more supplies. His black smeared fingers rapped along the floor, pondering, "When did this island grow so painful?"

Elias moved over the lonely couch in the middle of the room, yanking a blanket from under the cushions before staring at the man. He shook his head.

 _I doubt it matters._

Elias turned on his heel only to feel his self pulled back. The young man blinked at the large hand clamped over his wrist. A shiver ran down his spine, the man's cheeky grin melted into a line as he traced his fingers down Elias's arm. He pushed up the ragged sleeve up along Elias's arm and stared at the thick black ticks dug through his skin. He clucked his tongue.

"What did you do boy?" He murmured, rubbing his thumb over the marks. Elias felt his skin shrivel against him. He gently tugged his arm from the man's grasp, yet the man merely gripped harder. Elias winced at the blunt nails digging into his skin as the man breathed over his ticks, "You of all people shouldn't be the prey."

Elias yanked his wrist out of the man's grip, clasping his hand to his chest. He staggered back to the table in the kitchen, his hand blindly reaching out for his knapsack when the man rumbled, "It was stolen from you wasn't it?"

The young man's blood ran cold, fingers teetering towards the stun gun.

"You know what." The man said.

Elias's breath hitched at the back of his throat. He swallowed thickly as the man's voice thickened with something louder than the explosions—something darker than the night. The man leaned against the arm of the couch, his arms crossed across his chest.

"It's in your eyes boy." He said softly. "The look of a lamb not as lame as he appears to be."

Elias felt the air seem to thin around him, his knuckles popping under his ashen skin the harder he gripped the table. The man tilted his head back as lightning crashed passed the window; tattooing the floor in the silhouettes of the rain. An airy smirk cracked across his lips.

"No. You're a _mad_ one." He glanced at Elias wickedly. "And you know it…don't you?"

Elias sighed heavily, dropping his head forward until another shadow joined his own. The man's fingers tiptoed towards the stun gun clenched in the younger's hand and rested his palm on top of his.

"What if I told you, I could grant you a wish?" The man asked. Elias froze, practically hearing the leer in his voice. "Yes, I'm being serious. You fed me after all." He chuckled, gently prying the stun gun out of Elias's grasp. "What would you like? A mark less? A better home? _Power?_ "

Elias shuddered and writhed out from under the man. Elias turned away from the man, his hands balled into fists. The man's smirk fell into a slanted frown.

"You are a smart one." He sighed with a faint grin. "That's probably why they cut your tongue, hmm?" Elias glowered at the floor. "Well, whenever you change your mind— _call me_."

Elias blinked as another round of thunder roared with a loud slam flinching him out of his thoughts. He turned around and found his door flung ajar…without his stranger in sight. Elias's brows furrowed until he glanced at the table to find a single strip of paper lying on top of the stun gun. He squinted at the thin script printed neatly on the peach colored paper reading down along the center: _Make a wish!_

A smiley face lied under the script, beaming up at Elias with large eyes. The young man frowned, pinching the ends of the paper before tearing the strip in half. The pieces fluttered down to the floor as another explosion rang in the air—closer than the rest. Elias gathered the blanket in his arms and moved over to the cage. He gently cupped the bird in his hands, shushing her softly as he moved to the back door.

Elias slid the door close behind him. He swung a leg over the tub and sank into the cool basin. Sea salt seeped through the silent air vents, making the air thicker and heavier on Elias's skin. He rested his head on a box as he pulled the blanket over his waist and carefully cradled the bird close to him. The walls shuddered as an explosion rippled through the air along with heavy thuds that popped on the side of the complex. Elias's heart clung to his chest while the bird cooed weakly. The young man forced a smile on his lips, brushing the bird's back tenderly.

 _It's just the rain Lumi,_ he mouthed. His fingers gently massaged the broken grooves of Lumi's wings. The bird slowly drifted her head against his hand as the rain whipped across the complex. The heavy whizzing that battered the side of the complex rang louder than before. Elias bit his lip and curled into a small ball, his lips murmuring a mantra against Lumi's soft head.

 _It's just the rain._

* * *

The taste of rust lingered in Elias's mouth as he stifled a scratchy yawn. Slamming his locker behind him, Elias zipped the end of his suit just below the collar of his shirt. He stretched his arms up in the air while making his way to the end of the room, snatching an empty bucket and sponge on his way out. Elias absentmindedly filled the empty spots in the staff room with the faces he memorized and sighed.

The brackish air whirled around him as he stepped out along the walkway. His boots stomped through large puddles lingering on the path, becoming the only other voice that welcomed him into the vacant park. Elias wound his way down the path until he reached the Toddler section. The chalked drawings dripped down the concrete like a melting rainbow, swirling in the puddles Elias splashed through.

The Tea-Time-Whirl peeked up over the small slope of the section, its dangling cups gleefully swinging down over the ride. Elias pressed his thumb against the scanner of the fence. The scanner glowed bright green while Elias pulled the lock a loose. He hauled the fence to the side and stepped towards the ride only to freeze in his tracks. Thick pink trails glimmered under the gray sun's glare as it plumed down the side of the cup, fringing around the blue roses to make them a discolored gray. Elias gritted his teeth, his gloved hands balling into tight fists.

 _It stained._


	3. 2 - Black

_**2 – Black**_

"—thirty bodies have been recovered since the purging in sub-district one with authorities still continuing their search. Along with the increasing number of casualties, this unauthorized purge will not be overlooked by the council. Because of this, high archbishop Graf has agreed to allow the Magister Ascendants of Demons to look into the matter effective immediately—"

The poignant voice hissing through rusted speakers drowned in the cackling static instantly. Diva scowled at the fingers turning the dial roughly. She felt her brow twitch and curled her fingers into her palm.

"Do you know," she said, sucking in shallow breaths to calm the trembling in her chest, "how long it took me to find that station?"

"And do you know how much I _don't_ care?" Máel replied airily, turning the dial furiously.

Diva, scowl melting into a mild pout, spat at the long hair falling over the man's shoulder as he leaned over her. He furrowed his brows at the needle moving back and forth until the static rumbling out of the radio turned into a lazy drawl of a harmonica and strings. The corner of the man's lips twitched into a half smile until he felt a pinprick of heat radiating from Diva's glare.

"You got your five minutes today." He said sharply, patting the radio lovingly. He leaned closer to the radio, whispering loud enough for Diva to hear, "And I won't have garbage being spilled from your precious speakers."

"Garbage. Really?"

"Oh Diva. Sweet, sweet little Diva." Máel rolled his eyes, propping his elbows up against the bar. "You know there's nothing left to be said after they send out the _MAD_ men." Diva raised a lone brow, the bare skin hovering over her right eye merely shrugging upward. A smirk curled at the corner of the man's lip. "You'll understand when you're older."

"I'm four years older than you." Diva scoffed.

"Sure," he smirked down at her, thick strands of auburn hair fanning over his shoulder. "Because age means so much."

Diva huffed bitterly, running her hands through her short cropped hair. She opened her mouth to retort as a jingle rang in the air. The two turned their gaze towards the door where a man sauntered through. He stumbled into one of the tables laid out across the foyer, tugging his knitted cap over his eyes. The man inched towards the bar, his gaze locked on the black floorboards.

Amidst the broken ship boards nailed to the walls and lanterns swaying overhead, the stranger looked nothing more than a prop amongst the bar's decor. Yet, as he crept closer to the bar, he fiddled with the gloves on his hands and tugged his black, knitted cap lower and lower over his eyes. Diva's brows furrowed quizzically, shooting a glance at Máel just in time to see his smirk dissolve into a scowl.

"We're closed." He snapped.

The stranger came to a halt before Diva, sweeping his gaze around the room with a dry murmur, "I see that. Unless you're serving ghosts by any chance."

Máel smooth his hair back from his face. He stepped away from the bar and crossed his arms over his chest. "You do know what day it is, don't you?"

"Yeah. Thursday as I recall," Máel scowl only grew as the stranger groaned at the back of his throat. "Yes, I know what today is. But I had an interview scheduled now."

"Interview?" Diva's eyes widened, smacking her forehead.

She cursed under her breath. "I am so sorry. I completely forgot." She swayed her hand to the stranger. "Máel, this is the one I told you about who wanted to work here."

Máel blinked down at her, running his gaze down the man's frame. The collar of his jacket was tugged tightly around his neck with the scarf that covered his mouth. Máel stared hard at the cap pulled over the man's face until the frown settled on Máel's lips slowly smoothed into a thin line.

"No thanks." Diva whipped her head back at him with a glare. "How am I supposed work with someone who won't even show his face?"

"I showed up today of all days, didn't I?" The man replied sharply.

"You want praise for punctuality go to the city." Máel replied, murmuring quietly, " _That is if you don't get run down by the MAD men first."_

The man flinched, sinking deeper into his cocoon of black garb. He scraped his foot across the floor, stomping it lightly, and flicked his eyes up at Máel. "Please." A dark brown eye glazed in fiery desperation gazed at Máel under the rim of his cap as his voice cracked. "I need this job."

Máel tilted his head, his dark hair draping over his shoulder. His lips furrowed into a mock pout before turning into a scowl. "Too bad." He pointed his middle finger that hovered over the radio at the door. "Now get out."

The man flinched at the cold, detached tone and began to raise his chin, but froze. He glared into fiery, green pools of the other, an invisible smirk lacing his lips as if daring him to act. The man dropped his shoulders, gently fixing the scarf around his mouth with a gloved hand. Diva shrunk onto the stool she sat on grimly until the man cleared his throat.

"Fine." He turned on his heel and dragged his feet back to the door. His voice dropped into a muffle beneath the tattered scarf as he grumbled, "Thank you for your time."

He gently closed the door behind him. As soon as the bell jingled and his shadow disappeared down the street, Diva turned around to Máel. A deep scowl tugged at her mouth, as she hissed lowly, "Really?"

"Really yourself." Máel replied tartly, patting the radio. "Don't forget who's in charge Diva."

The flare licking at the shell of Diva's chest dimmed ever so slightly with his words. Her nails bit into her palm, leaving a trail of crescents in their wake as she breathed out slowly.

"You could have at least talked to him." She mumbled under her breath.

Máel stared at her boredly, then turned away. "I already have you. That's a chore itself."

Diva bit the inside of her cheek, the flare turning into a mere simmer upon her cheeks. Máel moved past her towards the door behind the bar. Diva looked up at his back until he glanced at her over his shoulder. The toxic green orbs stirred an unsettling knot in her stomach as he snapped coldly, "Now, unless you any grieving to do that you asked me to have time for- _get back to work."_

She fell silent as the door slammed behind him, the radio stuttering through its song into a symphony of static. She glanced at the rust encrusted dials of the radio; the machine hissing mouthfuls of endless-meaningless-words of a future.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi! Hope you're enjoying it so far!**

 **Mael = Maleficent**

 **Diva = Dival**

 **Puppy dog eyes for reviews :)**


	4. 3 - Red

_**3 - Red**_

Bile curdled into a bitter lump at the back of his throat as blood stung his tongue. Every swallow, every gasp, every twitch-no matter how slight-sent the pungent stench of copper flooding through his mouth. Aurelius spat onto the carpet, wincing at the pain that bloomed through his lips.

"Damn it," he hissed, wrenching at the stale sour milk taste that mingled with the blood. No matter how much he spat out the taste of the other, the stench refused to leave his mouth-let alone forget the feel of blunt teeth ghosting over his lips.

The boy threw his legs over the edge of the bed and padded over to the dresser. The vanity perched within golden leaves and pearls caught his reflection as he leaned over the smooth oak. Aurelius felt his eye twitch. Bright red blotched the corners of his lips, making them puff out in a dark crimson that rivaled even the roses sitting in the vase on the dresser.

Aurelius tentatively grazed the puffy edge of his upper lip and cursed under his breath. Pain bloomed beneath the crimson bulges, the boy swearing he saw the blood swirling ever so slightly, as a shiver wracked down his spine. The feeling of rough fingers roaming down his backside made his skin crawl all the while mantras, "let me kiss you," echoed in the back of his mind.

Kissing, Aurelius rolled his eyes, tracing his puffy lips with a light scowl. More like mauling.

Just as he was about to turn away, a ringing pierced through the air. Aurelius winced, holding his head as the ringing malformed into thunder, and snatched the ivory phone from its stool. The boy cleared his throat and purred smoothly, "Corona residence."

"So this is where you've been hiding out at?" The other end of the line snorted loudly. Aurelius's gentle smile melted instantly as the voice guffawed uncontrollably.

He plopped his self onto the ruby, red bench before the vanity, growling, "The hell you want?"

"Oh, don't be like that!" Aurelius winced, carefully holding his mouth. "Where's that innocent callboy at?"

"Where the last of your teeth will be if you don't shut up." Aurelius mumbled. He cradled the phone between his head and shoulder before moving towards the closet. Flipping on the light switch with his free hand, Aurelius wandered into an array of dress shirts and suits that lined the never ending wall. His fingers trailed along the crisp black dress suits idly, leaving thick red lines in their wake until they were clean.

"Why are you so sour this morning?" The other asked while Aurelius shifted through the dress shirts. He snatched one off the hanger, holding it up to his bare chest towards a mirror, and frowned. He tossed the shirt over his shoulder, shifting through the shirts once more until he was tossing one after the other onto the floor. "I mean a Corona-that's pretty big, even for you."

"Oh, he's big alright." Aurelius frowned at the oversized shirt he held in front of him. The shirt slipped off the metal hanger into a crumpled heap on the floor. "A big pain in ass."

The voice on the other line clucked their tongue. Aurelius heard a faint drum of fingers on the receiver as he snatched one last dress shirt from the far side of the closet. He sighed exasperatedly, flinging the hanger over his shoulder. He shrugged the brittle cotton over his shoulders when the voice hummed absentmindedly, "Well since you're done with your lover, you can haul your ass to work."

"You've skipped three weeks in a row hiding in your little sex haven bungalow and I'm sick of having to hunt you down to finish my work!" A growl caught at the back of Aurelius's throat as he held the phone away from his ear.

He let the other drone on in their heated rant while he shuffled through a drawer. His fingers rummaged through several ties, plucking out one for his self, until his gaze locked onto a broach. Dull silver stained bronze leaves that curled around a lone ruby encased in glass. He snatched the broach out from the drawer, the ties tucked around it falling from it like wayward petals. Aurelius held the broach up to the light, his mouth dropping ever so gently as the light unfolded the intricate glass rose carved around the ruby. The smoldering gray dusting the edges of the glass made the ruby glint a darker flourish, drawing Aurelius deeper under its spell-.

"Are you even listening?" The voice snapped bitterly. The boy dropped his arm to his side with a frown; the corners of his lips burned at the mere gesture. "I'll have you know that I'm not your babysitter-"

Aurelius brought the phone closer to his ear, the other's voice practically screeching through his eardrum, as he icily spat, "I'm sorry. Whose working for who now?"

The ranting on the line came to an abrupt halt. The boy swore he could hear the words swelling at the back of the other's tongue as they gulped heavily. Shuffling papers and pens rifled through the receiver until the voice stuttered, "S-sorry..."

"Sorry what?" Aurelius arched an eyebrow.

Another heavy gulp filled the line. "Sorry, sir."

Aurelius felt the corners of his lips curve into a smirk only to wince. The bruises on his lips throbbed as the voice stuttered once more, "I didn't mean any disrespect sir. I just-"

"Shut up." Aurelius groaned. "I'll get there when I get there. Now buzz off."

"Yes sir!"

Aurelius rolled his eyes, quickly adding, "And have out some concealer for me when I get there will you."

"Of course."

The line immediately went silent, a chorus of beeps filling the silence gnawing through the air. Aurelius sighed deeply and tossed the phone onto the pile of dress shirts on the floor. He lifted the broach up to the light and felt the bruises on his lips grow alight with pain once more. Turning it over on its side laid thinly scrawled cursive just beneath the glass rose. His fingers tightened around the broach as the words seared through his mind:

To My Fairest Amour-

Dark red smeared across the end of the script where a name became flooded with its sticky substance. Aurelius blinked blankly at the silver leaf pressing into his middle finger and clucked his tongue. He brought his finger to his mouth, suckling at the prick in his flesh.

"I'm fair." He mumbled, careful to keep his lips in a soft pout as he clipped the broach to his breast pocket.

He stumbled around the closet, stepping over mounds of clothes, until he shimmied into a pair of dress pants that pathetically wilted around his waist. He scrambled out of the closet, fumbling with a belt until he plopped onto the edge of the bed. He snatched up his lone sock from the floor-the only survivor amidst his torn clothing-and slipped into his battered shoes all the while sporting a sour pout.

"Of all the pig headed..." he hissed under his breath. He retched at the taste of spoiled milk pluming in his mouth at the thought, gagging harshly until he cleared his throat.

Through short dry heaves, Aurelius glanced down at the small lunchbox tucked under the nightstand. His expression melted into vacant glare and turned around to the head of the bed. He ran a hand through his hair, brushing unruly golden waves behind his ears, and slowly crept forward. He stretched his arm out for the toppled picture frame on the stand hooked onto the headrest. He gently lifted the frame upward, staring into the blind black and white smile of a bride and groom through shattered glass.

Aurelius pressed his thumb against his tongue and carefully touched the corner of the photo. He traced the bubble of red that pooled at the top of the photo down across the groom's face and suit, then traced a frown across the woman's cheeks. Aurelius leaned back from the photo to admire the lonesome bride, then down at the bed.

Glittering black films stared up at the boy as if awaiting for him to make his next move. Aurelius frowned as gently as he could, running his hand up the man's side. He idly tangled his fingers in the jungle of hair on the man's chest. His hand dipped into the shallow hollow underneath the tapered jungle as his fingers ventured deeper, sliding along thick slabs of muscles and bone.

Aurelius hummed lightly and withdrew his hand. He stared down at the man's needy gaze as he dabbed crimson dyed fingers against his lips. The boy brushed his hand over the man's eyes, closing his lids and buried his fingers in the other's hair. He ducked down, tenderly pressing his lips against the man's. Aurelius sighed into the touch, raising his self up from he man to breathe.

The boy's curious gaze kindled into a scowl, jerking the man's head up.

"That's a kiss you dumb ass."

He roughly tossed the man's head back against the pillows and crawled off the man. He pulled the lunchbox out from the night stand, rolling off the bed with a thump. His shoes dragged caked mud across the yanked sheets as he bounded towards the door-leaving the lonely Corona heartless to the embellished room.


	5. 4 - Red

_**4 - Red**_

Rings of thick, white tape circled the outskirts of charred bricks and crumpled tin roofs that remained of the district. Acrid smoke mingled in the air as bodies were dug up from pseudo mausoleums of broken homes and flesh, carried as quickly and carefully to the back of trucks. The Harvesters at bay signaled for the next truck to come after rolling a large white film over the bodies, turning back to the ram shackled district with a gag-the heavy stench of iron burning through the pores of their gas masks.

Arolf's teeth threatened to add to the stench as he buried them deep into his lip. His eyes flittered from split picture frames being swept upon piles of bricks to boards splintered into the backs of people still tightly clamped their knives or floors.

 _Poor, wretched things,_ he thought tartly before slamming his molars on his tongue. He tore his gaze away from the board piercing through the back of a woman's chest. Arolf swallowed thickly and marched over to a Harvester with a body bag flung over his shoulder.

"Do you mind?" He hissed through the gas mask. He jerked his thumb towards the woman and child. "Some of us would like to keep our stomachs where they belong."

The Harvester rolled his eyes beneath mud flecked goggles, stomping towards the woman. He kneeled down and, careful of the speared board, heaved her up. The board toppled and squelched until the woman was yanked off and lain over his other shoulder. Arolf's face scrunched under the gas mask at the bright red splotches splattering over browning stains on the Harvester's white uniform.

As the Harvester thundered towards the trucks, Arolf's gaze wandered back to the splintered wood boards and felt his blood run cold. The red soaked board laid abandoned in the rubble-and straight into the premature breast of an infant. Dull, gray orbs, so large Arolf could fool his self for just a moment that the eyes were what was holding its miniscule, singed head down, blindly stared after the woman torn from its blood caked fingers.

Arolf felt his stomach turn inside out and stumbled to the edge of the site. Tearing the bottom of his mask from his mouth, grimy chunks of churned bile poured from Arolf's mouth and painted the edge of the road. The man weaved his arms around his stomach, tightening his grip with each violent tremble that wracked through his body. In the midst of his retching a chuckle prickled through his ears and made the bile in his mouth turn even sour.

"You're so lame! You've only been here for two seconds and you're already hurling."

Arolf spat the last of the bile in his mouth, his throat burning as he swallowed the last down, and shuffled around. The wrinkles around his mouth deepened.

"I wish I could say the same for you sir." He grumbled weakly.

Aurelius shrugged meekly, the oversized suit jacket on him bunching high off his shoulders. The man glared daggers at the boy as he dabbed the back of his sleeve over his mouth. He pulled the mask back over his mouth.

"Sir," Arolf started, "where's your mask?"

Aurelius arched a brow at the man and snorted, "You're funny!" The boy turned on his heel, flicking his wrist for Arolf to follow.

The man hiccupped on the bile that sneaked its way back up into his mouth, dragging his feet behind Aureilus. As they weaved through the hoard of Harvesters, Arolf kept his eyes glued to the back of Aurelius's head-careful to avoid looking at the rubble again.

"You going to tell me what's in that file or just going to use it to wipe the puke from you mouth?" Arolf winced, glancing down at the forgotten-crumpled-folder under his arm. He fumbled with the folder's grime covered edges and peeled it open. He cleared his throat. "You are meant to record what has been destroyed as well as the number of casualties-"

"Shack." He said flatly. The boy gave the district a tired once over, a low tune purring at the back of his mouth when he pointed to a small home littered in bullet holes. "Shack. House...maybe a bar...or is that an outhouse?"

Arolf's brow wrinkled at the abrupt notes, a string of silent curses roiling on the his tongue.

"Sir," he said sharply, "shouldn't you be taking this more seriously?"

"Oh please," Aurelius cackled. "You just have your feathers in a bunch because you're not sitting back at your comfy office with a steaming bowl of whore in your lap."

A dark flush roused upon Arolf's cheeks as his brows furrowed deeper into a scowl. "I have every right to be. This isn't my field." Arolf huffed. "If you had bothered to pick up your files like you were supposed to-"

Arolf yelped as he ran into Aurelius's back. The boy shot the him a small grin, straining the red bruises on his lips.

"I'm sorry," Aurelius said in a light tone. Arolf swallowed thickly at the glare smoldering beneath his eyes. "I didn't seem to catch that. _What were you saying?"_

Arolf quickly shook his head. "N-nothing sir!"

The heated glare softened into a mild gleam. The boy slapped the man's back harshly. Arolf coughed heavily from the slap, doubling over for a moment.

"Good." Aurelius grinned. His fingers roamed over his lips with a pout, ignoring the man's hacking. "Arolf." The man caught his breath and peered up at the boy with a low wheeze. "Did you bring what I asked?"

Arolf blinked until his jaw dropped. He rummaged in the knapsack tied tightly to his chest and pulled out a tube before tossing it to Aurelius. The boy snatched it from the air. He twisted the cap from the tube and smeared the pale cream over his finger. He dabbed the cream over his lips, wincing at the burn that pricked his bruises.

"Your Corona didn't meet your fancy?" Arolf asked.

Aurelius narrowed his eyes, chucking the tube back at him. Arolf let the tube slip from his grasp and onto the ground. His nose wrinkled into a grimace at the pool of crimson clinging to the tube. He stepped over the crumbled fingers and limbs, handing the file to Aurelius.

"Could you please at least look at your own report?" Aurelius rolled his eyes, yanking the file out of Arolf's hands. He rested the weight of papers on one arm and flipped through the pages.

"I swear you people are just photocopying trash." Aurelius mumbled, scanning the thick scribbles sprawled along the page. He caught snippets of Arolf's droning while casting his gaze across the streets. Thin tendrils of smoke curled across the black, bronze of the sky. Harvesters hauled bodies towards the trucks only to find more buried under caved in rooftops.

He lifted his hand to graze over holes in flimsy boards and canvases of a house until his fingers caught against metal. He curled his fingers around the cool surface and tugged at the miniscule object. He squinted at the emerald bullet rolling in his palm with a frown.

" _Damn_."

"What was that sir?" Arolf asked.

Aurelius grit his teeth, tucking the bullet into his breast pocket. "Nothing." The bullet in his pocket practically burned through the prickled cotton the moment it fell in. Aurelius sighed heavily, pinching the narrow between his brows. "Nothing at all." He glanced up at the shambled clearing in the middle of the district and froze.

Aurelius's heart skipped a beat as his eyes locked on ashen white locks gleaming sickeningly beneath the last of the lampposts strung around the clearing. He straightened his shoulders, running a hand through his hair to fluff his golden mane. The light dusting of concealer crinkled ever so gently on the edges of his grin. He shoved the stack of papers to Arolf, the man stumbling to the onslaught of plummeting papers, and strode past him. He wormed his way through small hoards of Harvesters and left over bodies scattered across the ground.

Glass crunched under his shoes in a cackling symphony as reached the center of the clearing. Aurelius stomach writhed eagerly as he threw his arms around the other's neck. Twining his fingers around a black clad shoulder, he opened his mouth-a singsong gleam on the tip of his tongue until the boy replied sharply, " _You're late."_

Aurelius's brows furrowed with a pout as he rested his chin on the boy's shoulder. "No morning kiss?" He grumbled.

Eyes locked on the hologram screen in front of him, the boy noted, "It's 11 pm."

"You know what I mean Ders!" Aurelius rolled his eyes.

The boy paused, rounding his head to bump his forehead against Aurelius's. "Really?"

"What? It rolls off the tongue easier than _'Anders'_.'"

Anders stared at Aurelius blankly before turning back to the screen. He curved his free arm backward to brush his hand against Aurelius's cheek. The blonde blinked at the rough caress of leather pricking his skin and snuggled into the touch-until pain bloomed beneath his flesh. Aurelius yelped as Anders pinched his cheek, his gloved nails biting through leather into the soft skin. Aurelius batted at Anders's hand while the other simply skimmed over the document on the screen.

"Okay, okay!" Aurelius cried, his skin stretching at each jerk he attempted to escape Anders's grasp. "No more Ders! I get it!"

The moment Anders's fingers gave way Aurelius jumped back. Cradling his cheek in one hand, he winced at the bruises' pain reigniting in his lips. He glared at the back of Anders's head as his fingers flew across the hologram.

"Your face will freeze like that." Anders said, punching in keys that lit the screen a light blue.

Aurelius's pout held firm despite the bruises' burns begging him to stop. He scowl falter however at the hologram jetting out from Ander's wrist.

"Is that a digital copy of your report?" Aurelius gawked.

"Yes." Anders shrugged.

"How come everything I have is by hand?"

Anders shrugged once more. "Perhaps your tardiness and habit of saying everything out loud is advanced enough for you." Aurelius glared at Anders's back and quickly stuck his tongue out at him. "And you wonder why they refuse to give you anything."

"Oh, shut up." Aurelius flung his chin back on the boy's shoulder. "What are you writing up anyway?"

"Numbers. Just numbers."

"And they call this field work." Aurelius scoffed.

"And it is." Anders swiped his hand across the screen. The screen fizzed a dark gray before disappearing into the band on his wrist. "For the public anyway."

Aurelius fought against the pout straining beneath his lips as Anders stepped away. He stumbled forward while Andy kneeled down to the ground. He plucked up a shard of glass and held it up to the light flickering amongst the lampposts. As he tilted the smoky cracked frame, a glimmer of Aurelius caught his eye in the glass.

"Nice broach." Anders grunted.

"Really?" Aurelius meekly scratched the back of his head, a faint hint of pink dusting his cheeks. He touched the rose broach with a soft grin.

Anders nodded absentmindedly. "This one must have made you real mad, huh?" The bubbly attention wracking through Aurelius's chest simmered instantly. He puffed out his cheeks in a small frown and crossed his arms. "That bad?"

"Please, don't get me started." Aurelius groaned.

"So that's why you dragged Arolf out here," Anders mused.

"That lazy ass needed to get out and smell the flowers." A weary groan whined through the air as a loud retch hacked continuously. Aurelius rolled his eyes. "Or puke on them. Puking works too."

"Of course it does." Anders replied, gently placing the glass back onto the mosaic ground where he found it. The boy ran his eyes over the torn pavilion and leaned back on his heels. "It seems illogical for an unauthorized purge in this kind of district."

Aurelius snorted, "If you ask me this district was begging to be wiped out."

"You know what I mean." Anders snapped. "It just doesn't make sense."

"I really don't care why." Aurelius shrugged, digging into his breast pocket. He pulled out the emerald bullet with a bored glare. "But I can guess who."

Anders swayed back on his heels as Aurelius dropped the bullet into his palm. Anders held the bullet close to his gaze, rolling it in his fingertips beneath the dull light. Bronze light slithered into thin indentations within the bullet, reading: G.S.

The growl rumbling in Anders's chest came out in a mild huff. Aurelius mirrored his irritable growl as he glanced at a truck covered in black film. The Harvesters gathered around it spritzed the end of a body's hand with water from a flask before driving off-the lone arm dangling its farewell with each rocky jerk along the road.

"That's a lot more than usual." Aurelius noted.

"Indeed." Anders rose to his feet. "With Priest Graf on the way, they thought it best to have extra on hand."

"What? His saintly hood can't handle a little blood on his shoes?"

"I'm sure he can. How the masses will take it is something different altogether."

Aurelius kicked at a shard of glass before him, mumbling airily , "I can still get my cut right?"

Anders shot him a blank look before walking past him, the ends of his coattails flapping against him. "I thought you were an independent business?"

"I am!" Aurelius snapped. "I just don't mind being thrown a bone every once in a while."

Anders stared at Aurelius for a moment before racking his knuckles against the back of his head. Aurelius winced at the sharp knock, rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm sure you can finish the last of your report without me."

Anders dropped the bullet into a compartment of his vest while Aurelius whined, "Oh come on! You always write them better!" He trailed after Anders, bumping past a crouching Arolf in the process. "Is this because I'm not in 'uniform?'" Anders merely waved him off as he trekked down the district. "I won't show up late again if that's why you're angry!"

Anders shoved his gloved hands in his pockets, glancing at the ruins circling around him until he stumbled over. Regaining his footing, he caught a flicker of his boot caught along a twine of string. The tattered string ran up into a bear; its white fur matted in singed tuft and brown smudges. He kneeled down to the bear, noting the missing button on its face and bullet wounds overflowing in cotton. He carefully lifted the bear to reveal a blood, red orb staring p at him. Glazed sockets flooded with gray grits and a lone bullet laid upon a pillow of bricks. Scorched, broken flesh hung off the side of blackened marrow all the while silently pleading with a broken jaw, _You'll take care of him, won't you?_

Anders's gaze fell upon the bear again, tucking a ball of cotton back into a hole in its chest. _I'm not angry._

He murmured so quietly only the wind could hear him, "I'm just _mad_."


End file.
